Safety
of nuclear power plants being upgraded: AEC chiefAct to have a new independent
regulatory authority being introduced in ParliamentChandigarh,
June 18Three months after Fukushima, now
regarded as among the world’s worst nuclear incidents, India has just
completed a major safety review of its 20 operating nuclear power plants
that generate 5,000 MW daily. In all these plants, steps are being taken
to augment its backup power supply and inventory of water storage apart
from putting up tsunami protection walls and mini-wave breakers to
prevent a Fukushima like incident from occurring.

President
Patil to declare assetsNew Delhi, June 18Breaking new ground, President
Pratibha Patil has decided to declare assets. This is the first time
that the country’s President will be making assets public although
there is no law that mandates her to do so.

Congress
to call all-party meeting on Lokpal BillWithin the government, we feel
the Prime Minister shouldn’t be brought under Lokpal, says SibalNew
Delhi, June 18The Congress has decided to widen
the ambit of discussions on the Lokpal Bill by seeking the opinion of
other political parties after government representatives on the joint
drafting committee failed to bridge differences with civil society
members on key provisions of the proposed anti-graft legislation.

Make
law to protect scribes: Hazare to PMNew Delhi, June 18In the wake of the killing of crime
reporter J Dey, Anna Hazare today shot off a letter to Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh voicing concern over “growing attacks” on journalists
and urged him to enact “stringent laws” to curb them.

An attempt to tow Wisdom back to sea will be made on Sunday after 2 pm when high tide is expected. If efforts fail, operations will have to be suspended for at least a fortnight till the tides are high enough to keep the ship afloat to enable it to be pulled back to sea from shallow waters by tug boats. — PTI
(Details on Nation page)

Military
‘training’ in the name of leadershipLankan students have to undergo
rigorous workout to get into varsitiesSalvage a heavy vehicle stuck
in mud, complete a 5-km march in 45 minutes and do push ups and run
obstacle courses. This is not part of the curriculum for those training
to join the Sri Lankan military or the police, but a part of a
controversial three-week-long “leadership training” programme for
the students to gain admission to state-run universities across the
country.

A training session in progress. A Tribune photograph

India,
Pak in war of words over MV SuezNew Delhi, June 18It would have been comic, if it had
not been so serious and come days before the Foreign Secretary-level
talks in Islamabad next week. Last night it was the Pakistan Navy which
complained and prompted the Pakistan government to lodge a formal
protest against the Indian Navy for a ‘serious incident’ and
carrying out ‘dangerous manoeuvres’ at high seas in the Gulf of Aden
while on anti-piracy duties.